Families celebrating like Olympians during MEND Move It Week
Families in and around Todmorden are taking part in an Olympic themed activity session at Todmorden Sports Centre to celebrate their success at becoming fitter, healthier and happier as a result of the MEND programme (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition…Do It!).
In Calderdale the MEND programme is run by the health improvement team, which is part of the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and it has been supporting families across the region to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Through the programme families can find out about cooking healthy meals on a budget and how to read food labels, and children can build up their fitness levels through a range of activities such as Street Dance, indoor hockey and netball.
To celebrate their hard work and share new knowledge, families that completed the 10 week healthy lifestyles programme between January and March will have the opportunity to take part in the Olympic themed family activity session on Tuesday 5th July.
The celebratory event, which will include fun Olympic based activities, will take place as part of MEND Move It Week, a nationwide initiative that encourages families to spend more time being active together.
Move It Week coincides with National Childhood Obesity Week, which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of children nationwide. Figures from the National Child Measurement Programme 2009/10 show that in Calderdale 20.3% of children aged 4-5 years and 30.4% of children aged 10 – 11 years are above a healthy weight.
The health improvement team have been making some big steps through the MEND programme to help a number of families in the Todmorden area become fitter, healthier and happier. Including mother and son, Jeanette Smith and James, 7, who attended the sessions twice a week. During the MEND programme James not only increased his fitness levels but also lost 3.6 kg in body weight.
To find out more about services in Calderdale that can support you and your child achieve a healthy weight contact health improvement practitioner Rachel Morton on 01422 281398 or email rachel.morton@swyt.nhs.uk.